The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1887-08-04

a few miles are so accustomed to tin
thing that they never mind it or men
tlon it. Consequently, very few people
outside Of the immediate vicinity, ant
the physicians who have attended them
are cognizant of the circumstances
People passing tho house, especially in
the summer time, have been filled witt
curiosity by what they saw and heard
and have carried accounts to distant
places. These reports are very vague
for the passers-by have had no definite
idea of the matter. They only know
that it looked remarkably strange to sec
father and his sons out in the field
plowing and sowing many rods apart,
yet each one laughing as though he had
heard the best joke in the world. Curl.
GUS stories are told of the travellers who
went that way. Several years ago two
young mon cane from tho interior OF
tho State to aItond party at Easton,
Pennsylvania.
1t was warm night and they did not
start until late. They drove past the
house of the laughing family soon aitel
the regular nightly attack had begun.
Ihe windows were oil open, as it was
early summer, and every sound could be
clearly heard. AS the young men ap,
preached thoy heard tho most unearthly
noise their ears had ever received. ii
seemed like pandomonium, and the
youths felt sure they had struck the en-
trance to Sheol.
The horse took fright and nearly ran
away with thom. Coming to the con-
clusion that at least the place was haunt
ed, they hurried home, and tho hcxt
morning spread the news. Parties were
formed to investigate the matter but
none of them solved tho subject until
informed by a man i'll the village near
at hand as to tho nature of tho case.
They were urged to remain reticcnt
about the matter, and have done so.
PHYSICAL EFFECTS.
The years Of incessant laughter have
told somewhat on the faces of tho fami-
ly, but not SO as to be very noticeable.
There are scores Of lines under the ewes
and above the checks, caused by the
drawing up of the skin. Then their
mouths have become wider and they
keep them closed with difficulty. The
most marked result Of tho disease, how
ever, is i'll the voice. The entire family
talk i'll the samo tone, resembling as
nearly as anything the voice of the alto
singer. Males and females have the
same infection and intonation. Most Of
them have moro or less trouble with
their eyes, several having become very
near sighted. The pupils have CON
tractod, and the entire eyoball is dimin-
ishod in size. This is accounted for by
the contraction of the eyes while laugh-
ing, and the effort required in working
or reading while undergoing an attack.
Very little physical annoyance is caused
the laughers. They read and write,
sleep and work without any trouble.
The only thing they seem unable to do,
while attacked, is to cat, and that can be
readily understood. Several grand
children have been born, and in all but
one instance, they were taken, soon after
birth, with stated attacks at the same
hours as their parents. OF course they
do not laugh as the older ones do, but
they crow and express ali the signs Of
baby glee twice a day, and never cry
while in that state. Ii the disease con
tinue in the new generation, the laugh
ing family may ultimately become a
laughing village.